


Putting the Pieces Back Together

by LittleGrowl



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Amnesia, Angst, Arlathan, Because we can't get enough of Solas, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Gen, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-21
Updated: 2015-03-25
Packaged: 2018-03-08 10:46:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3206396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleGrowl/pseuds/LittleGrowl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alternate Universe - After Corypheus is defeated and Solas vanishes, Velanna attempts to repair the orb. With the help of Dagna and Dorian, it appears as though they might be successful. However, she soon discovers she is not where she belongs and Fen'Harel looks remarkably similar to the man who broke her heart. </p><p> </p><p>Not even close to canon if we're being honest here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. All That's Left Are Pieces

Gone. Just like that, he was gone. He had warned her that he would not stay after they defeated Corypheus, but she didn't think he'd just vanish immediately after without so much as a goodbye. She looked down at the pieces of the orb that he had held moments ago, it was not the only thing that would be leaving here broken.

Velanna tried to enjoy the celebration Josephine had put together at Skyhold, but despite her best efforts she could not hide her sorrow behind a forced smile and all of her companions could see it. It was Dorian who finally convinced her that she shouldn't feel guilty about leaving the festivities if she wanted to be alone.

"And if you'd rather not be alone, I happen to know a dashing mage that finds your company to be delightful," Dorian stated.

"Oh? Well by all means do introduce me to this mage you speak of," she replied with a wink.

In the dramatic fashion so typical of the Tevinter mage, Dorian placed his hand over his heart and proclaimed, "Ah, Inquisitor, you wound me so!"

"I thank you for the offer of your company, but right now I think I'd like to be alone. Besides, I'd hate to deprive our guests of your presence", she said with a small smile.

Now the she was alone in her quarters, Velanna cleared off her desk and placed the pieces of the broken orb out for her to view. _What was so important about the ancient artifact?_ The look in his eyes when he held the remnants in his hands was so full of sorrow. She felt guilty and asked if there was some way to repair it;  she hadn't meant to break it.

"That will not replace what has been lost." There was so much sadness in his voice, she couldn't help but feel bitter. He seemed more heartbroken over this broken artifact than leaving her. It was for this reason she was determined to figure out why the orb was so special. She needed to understand, she needed answers.

Tonight, she would let herself mourn the loss of him. Tomorrow, she would start a new mission: repair the orb.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning she gathered all the pieces of the shattered foci into her satchel and headed to the Undercroft.

"Dagna, I have an impossible project for you!"

The dwarf's eyes lit up with wonder and excitement, "What would you have me do, Inquisitor?"

Velanna showed her the remains of the ancient foci, "Can you repair it?"

"What is it supposed to be exactly?"

"Solas said it was an ancient elvhen artifact. It's supposed to be a foci that the elvhen gods used to harness magical power."

Dagna looked absolutely gleeful, "Fascinating! I get to work right away, oh this is so exciting."

"Thank you Dagna, Dorian and I will try to learn more about the foci in the meantime," Velanna couldn't help but chuckle at how happy she had just made the arcanist.

She found Dorian in his usual spot in the library, book in hand. He looked up upon hearing her call his name. "Someone seems to be in better spirits today."

"I need your help, Dorian." The mage smiled and raised an inquisitive eyebrow, so she continued, "Dagna is going to try to repair the orb and I want you to help me find as much information about the thing as possible."

"While I'm flattered you've come to me for my exquisite wealth of knowledge, I'm not certain how much help I could possibly be. The orb is elvhen, is it not?"

"You are of Tevinter, the people that invaded and destroyed Arlathan, are you not?" He winced at the reminder of his ancestors' past actions even though she spoke without malice. "Surely, there are still texts the Imperium saved regarding ancient magic."

"Hmm, I suppose I could call in a few favors and get a hold of some texts that may be of use if it means I no longer have to look at that sad face you've been wearing. It really isn't your best look."

She playfully punched his shoulder and let out a laugh, "Ass!"

In truth, seeing his dear friend smile again was more than enough reason to help. He swore if he ever saw Solas again, he'd beat him senseless for causing her so much pain.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They had their first breakthrough several weeks later. One of the books Dorian had acquired spoke of similar magic that had once been used in the Tevinter Imperium of old.

"Velanna, I think I've found something! This book mentions similar orbs that were once used in Tevinter a long time ago. They called them 'Somnoborium', which translates to- "

"Vessels of Dreams?", she interrupted. Dorian looked at her impressed and proud. Over the many months they traveled together he had tried teaching her Tevene, which she had apparently picked up better than he had expected.

"That's quite right. Your Tevene is improving, I should hardly be surprised though. You did have a remarkable instructor after all."

She rolled her eyes, "A remarkable and modest instructor. Let's go tell Dagna what you've found, maybe there's something in that book that will help her put the damn thing back together."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A week later they were interrupted from their ongoing research by an ecstatic dwarf running towards them.

"Inquisitor! I've done it, the orb is intact!"

Velanna's face lit up with excitement and hope, "You've really put it back together? I must see it!"

She and Dorian followed Dagna back to the Undercroft. Sure enough the orb was resting on the arcanist's workstation in one piece.

"Does it work?"

"Not yet, it doesn't hold any magic. However, it should be capable of it.", the dwarf answered.

"Alright, how do we fill it then?", Velanna asked eagerly.

Dagna replied, "Well, the mark on your hand, it was caused by the orb. It should, in theory, respond to the anchors magic then. Perhaps you can charge it using the mark?"

Velanna immediately lifted her marked hand toward the foci and released the vibrant green magic she'd grown accustomed to. The orb seemed to respond very slightly to the magic, but when she stopped the orb appeared unchanged. Despite several more attempts, the result was the same. Her magic wasn't quite enough to have an effect on it.

Feeling drained and defeated, she retired to her quarters. Without the hope of breakthrough or possibility her thoughts returned to the empty feeling in her chest that she'd been avoiding for weeks.

While the Inquisitor restlessly slept, Dagna continued to work alongside Dorian. The both of them still too determined to be successful to stop. The following morning Velanna entered the main hall and was met by them, seeing the bags under their eyes she registered that they had been working through the night.

Dagna, still surprisingly chipper despite the lack of sleep, grabbed Velanna by the hand and started to lead her to the Undercroft. "We think we've come up with a solution. A way to focus and strengthen the anchors magic!"

She tried to show some excitement at what she was hearing, but she had little hope after the previous day's failure. "Alright, show me. We'll give it a try."

The dwarf brought her to the workstation where the foci still sat. In front of it, however, was a chunk of glowing blue lyrium resting a top a slender metal stand.

"Aim your magic at the lyrium crystal. This should help channel it more directly into the orb and should make the magic stronger", Dagna explained.

Velanna positioned herself in front of the crystal. After a moment she looked over her shoulder before raising her hand, "Perhaps the two of you should stand back a bit, just to be safe."

Once she felt they were far enough away, she began pooling up as much magic as she could gather and released the energy from the mark into the lyrium. At first it felt like before, like nothing was happening. Then she felt a tug, the orb was responding. Suddenly her vision was being overwhelmed by blindingly bright light. The magic began engulfing her, it was a strong force that knocked the breath out of her. Her name was being called, but the voices faded away as she lost consciousness.


	2. Collision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Velanna wakes up in an unexpected place.
> 
> ** I'm not in love with this chapter so I apologize in advance if it stinks **
> 
> Also, while I do know how I want this story to play out in the long-run, there are still parts in the middle I haven't come up with yet. So, if there are particular interactions or things you'd like to see happen, by all means do suggest them. And lastly, thank you for the kudos! :)

 

He had been lounging in his throne lazily when he felt the sudden burst of familiar magic and saw the green glow peeking out around the edges of the door to his left. More than a little curious as to the cause of the magical surge coming from his personal armory, Fen'harel leapt up to go investigate. While he wasn't sure what he'd expected to find, a petite female elf laying on the stone floor unconscious was not at the top of the list. After staring at the body before him for a few confused minutes, the small pool of blood slowly forming around her head caught his attention.

Bending down beside her, he placed his hand on the wounded elf's head and released a warm glow of healing magic. There would be no answers regarding the reason for her peculiar intrusion if she were dead. As he carried her still limp body through the main hall and through the corridor to one of the guest rooms, he called out to one of his servants. "Please guard the door and inform me as soon as she awakens."

 "Yes, Master."

 Fen'Harel looked at the servant and let out an exasperated sigh, "Do not call me that. How many times must I tell you, Revasan, I am not your master. You are not a slave any longer."

 "Of course, my apologies Mast-", Revasan interrupted himself, looking up with concern in his eyes, "What do I call you?"

 Fen'Harel smiled gently at the man looking up at him, "Call me by my name."

 "Y-yes, F-Fen'Harel," the newly freed slave stuttered, "thank you."

 

The ever impatient god paced in his room as he waited for the girl to regain consciousness. It had been hours since he'd placed her slender body down on the guest bed. She was small, smaller than usual but in a delicate way, not childlike. _She must belong to Mythal, surely sent to check up on me. Has to be Mythal, she's the only one who knows I'm here. But what a strange and ineffective entrance, perhaps she is new. There's something off about her, I can't put my finger on it._

His thoughts were interrupted as Revasan came bolting up the stairs, "She is awake", he said while trying to catch his breath, "and she is causing quite a ruckus."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Velanna's eyes fluttered open as she re-entered the waking world and immediately winced. A throbbing pain radiated throughout her skull and every muscle in her body ached. She hadn't felt this bad since she'd fought that last dragon in Emprise du Lion. Several groans and curses later Velanna finally managed to sit upright and surveyed her surroundings. _Why I am I not in my own quarters? Did I blow up half of Skyhold? Oh, Creators, did I kill Dagna and Dorian?_  

That last thought was enough for her to get up, urgently moving towards the door. It did not open. _Ok, I guess it is just jammed._ She pushed and pulled with no success. Slung magic at the door which seemed to slide right off it. _What in the world  is going on?_ Every failed attempt created more aggravation and worry. Accepting that for some reason she was locked in this room, Velanna settled on frantically banging on the door. Eventually someone would have to hear and let her out.

Head lowered in defeat, she pulled her fist back, gathering the momentum to pound on the door once more and was shocked when her fist landed on a chest instead of wood. Velanna looked up at the poor soul on the receiving end of her rage and panic, apology already flowing from her lips, "Are you ok? I'm so sor- Solas? You're back?" _And you have hair...how is that possible?_

"I'm sure I'll survive", he gasped just before he felt the impact of her hand on his cheek.

"That's for leaving without even saying goodbye!", she spat.

"First you invade my home and then you assault me, you're certainly a bold one, aren't you?", he sneered, "Why are you here?"

"Why are _you_ here?", she snapped at him. Did he somehow find out that she had fixed the orb? Was he now coming to reclaim it? 

"I live here", he replied incredulously.

" _I_ live here!"

Fen'Harel's patience was never long-lasting and he did not like being toyed with, "I will not play along with your childish game." He grabbed her wrist and headed towards the main hall, pulling her along.

"Where are you taking me?", Velanna squealed.

"Back."


	3. Not Where You Belong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and for your kudos! Again, if there are any interactions and such you'd like to see, by all means feel free to suggest them. :)

They passed through the door that would lead to the future Inquisitor's quarters, Fen'Harel nearly dragging her the whole way. "Back where?" _Back to my room? Oh if he thinks for a second we're gonna have reunion sex he is sorely mistaken!_

He gave no reply, instead leading her down a set of stairs. _These steps shouldn't be here, they never finished repairs in this tower. I couldn't have been out that long._

"Solas, answer me!", Velanna demanded desperately.

The fear in her voice startled Fen'Harel, so he replied as calmly as he could, "Back where you came from", he offered, hoping it would reassure her that he had no intentions of hurting her. They entered a small room at the bottom of the stairs, inside stood a large ornate mirror. It was framed in onyx, adorned with intricate designs all the way up. At the top was the face of a wolf, carved out of white marble with six smoky blue gemstones for eyes. It was stunning. They were a perfect match to the color of his eyes. She missed looking into those eyes as he woke up mere inches from her in the mornings they were at Skyhold.

Velanna was so transfixed by the sight of the wolf's head that it wasn't until Fen'Harel cleared his throat impatiently that she noticed the mirror's surface was shimmering. It wasn't a mirror at all, it was an eluvian and he was gesturing for her to go through it.

They moved so quickly she barely recognized the crossroads before he lead them through another portal.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the other side of the eluvian was a modest throne, upon which sat one of the most radiant beings Velanna had ever seen. Gentle waves of hair, black as night, rested on one shoulder in a loose braid. She had golden eyes that seemed to shimmer as though they housed teeny tiny stars. And just being in her presence made Velanna feel safe and warm.

The  woman greeted them with  smile, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"I'm returning _this_ ," he stated as Velanna felt herself being pushed forward, "you do not need to send your spies to check on me, Mythal, I am not a child."

_Did he just call me 'this'? 'THIS'?! Am I a fucking object? Wait, did he just call her Mythal?_

Mythal rose from where she was seated and walked over to her, lifting up Velanna's chin and looking directly into her eyes. In that very instant the Well spoke to her, " _You are not where you belong, da'len."_

She dropped her hand from Velanna's chin, shifting her gaze to the scowling man behind her, "I'm afraid I have never seen this girl before, Fen'Harel. She is not one of mine", Mythal insisted with an amused smile, "Besides, she is clearly marked with your magic."

All the color left Velanna's face and her heart was racing, she thought she might be sick. The Well had hinted to her that Solas was Fen'Harel, but everything the Well told her was either a riddle or a horribly cryptic message. Velanna had convinced herself that she was misinterpreting the Well's comment about Solas, but there was no mistaking this. The man with her former lover's face was the Dread Wolf, and the Dread Wolf was Solas.

"She does not look well, lethallin, perhaps it is best we cut this visit short."

Fen'Harel grunted and grabbed Velanna's wrist before guiding them back through the eluvian. Her mind was swimming with revelations and questions. _Solas is Fen'Harel, a god...I am in-,  was in love with the very person I was supposed to protect people from...That was Mythal, like actual Mythal...He was lying to me, to everyone, that whole entire time...That couldn't have been Mythal, that's not possible...unless I went back, would explain the hair...'you are not where you belong'...shit fuck, did I really just travel through time...again?...Was any of what we had even real, was I just a foolish lovestruck girl falling for one of his tricks?...It felt real._

They had stopped moving and were now standing back in the main hall. Fueled by rage and hurt, she turned and slapped him once more. "You lying son of a bitch! I trusted you, loved you and it was all a game for you, wasn't it?"

A low, feral growl rumbled in his throat, cheek stinging from the impact of her hand. He looked at Velanna, and though his voice was steady she could his eyes were burning with anger, "I do not know what you are rambling on about nor why exactly you felt the need to slap me for a second time, but you would be wise not to repeat the action."

For the first time since they had met in the Temple of Sacred Ashes, she was truly afraid of him. His eyes remained on her as he called out, "Revasan, would you please escort our _guest_ back to her room?"

She saw the older man walk up beside her, he seemed to appear out of nowhere. Velanna wondered if he had actually been there the whole time.

"Yes, of course, right this way my lady," the servant motioned for her to follow, and she did without protest. That look in his eyes was warning enough to know she should not push him.

Revasan guided her back to the room she had woken up in earlier and held the door open. As Velanna was stepping across the threshold she turned and asked the kind old man the question that would confirm her fear. "I'm terribly embarrassed, the tumble I took earlier has made my head a little fuzzy. Would you mind confirming the year for me?"

"Of course, my lady", he smiled, "it is 3352 FA."

Velanna smiled and nodded at him before sitting down on the small bed to process everything that had just happened.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_3352 years since the founding of Arlathan. Ok, Keeper training, this is your moment to shine, what has and hasn't happened so far?...Elves encountered the Dwarves right around 3000 FE, so that has happened. Humans don't make their way to Thedas until 4500 FE, still a ways to go then.....And if it is 3352 FE, that would make it -4842 Ancient...I should be in 9:42 Dragon...which would be 8440 FE...Creators, I went back 5000 years, how is that even possible?_

Velanna took to pacing across her small quarters as she continued to work through the unsettling turn of events.

_Dagna repaired the orb...wish I knew how she did it...I channeled the anchor's magic through the lyrium crystal and into the orb...why would that send me through time?...Alexius' spell created a rift in the Fade...that warped the fabric of time...and time behaves differently in the Fade...the orb has the ability to open and close rifts...I guess it is possible that the orb opened rift that altered time...but why here, why so far back?_

Velanna laid back down on the bed, hands resting on her forehead as she tried to wrap her mind around her current situation.

_Creators...I slapped him...I slapped Fen'Harel...the Bringer of_ Nightmares _and I slapped him...he's probably going to kill me, isn't he...I'll just apologize, maybe I can blame it on my head wound...just need to play nice...must forget that he becomes Solas._

As exhaustion took over and pulled her towards the world of dreams, Velanna let out a chuckle at the memory of Varric from the last time she traveled through time. _"Everything that happens to you is weird."_ She looked forward to seeing his face when she told him about this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like to see how I envisioned Mythal's eyes to look, check out the link below. It comes from the LOTC s Eye Textures mod by lastofthecouslands, I just tweaked the color a bit. 
> 
> http://imgur.com/74f22IC


	4. Head Injuries are Quite Serious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Velanna has breakfast with the Dread Wolf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Fen'Harel paced in front of his throne, the sting from her slap still lingering on his cheek. _How did I fail to recognize that she was marked with my own magic, more importantly how did she manage to acquire it? If Mythal did not send her then why is she here...what does she want..._ _she said she had loved me before that slap, I must have slept with her at some point, I don't recognize her but it is certainly possible, it does not explain how she got my magic but perhaps  I can use that to my advantage._ A mischievous grin settled on his face as he walked up to his quarters. He was confident he had found her weakness and fully intended to exploit it.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

Velanna woke up the following morning to a pitch black, windowless room, the candle that lit the room the previous evening had long burned out. Letting out a sigh, she conjured up a warm ball of light. Her eyes widened, the last time she used her magic had been when she was panicking to open the door and hadn't noticed the difference. The magic came so much more easily and felt so right; it felt just as Solas had once described, "as natural as breathing." _I wonder how much stronger I could make my offensive spells._

She got up and tried to open the door, even though she knew it would still be locked. With nothing else to do, she cast another mage light, this one bigger than the first, and then another smaller one, and another. Velanna was giddy, feeling like a child again learning how to use magic for the first time. By the time her door finally opened she had filled almost the entire room with balls of light in varying sizes.

Revasan cocked his head to the side looking curiously at the strange display of light in the room. A light flush of red rose to her cheeks at the realization of how silly the scene must look. She greeted the man at her door with a sheepish grin, "Good morning."

"Good morning, my lady," he said as he broke his gaze away from the peculiar display of light, "Right this way, Fen'Harel is awaiting your presence and has had breakfast made for you."

Velanna followed his lead, mourning the loss of her previous good mood; she was not looking forward to facing the Dread Wolf. _Just act innocent and charming, you're good at that, this will be easy._ "I'm afraid I do not know your name," she said, breaking the silence as they walked.

"My name is Revasan."

"I'm Velanna," she smiled as they entered the main hall, though her smile was quickly replaced with a look of confusion. There was no table, or food, or the god she had assaulted. _Where else would we eat?_ Much to her dismay, she was lead to the rotunda instead, where a sizable round table stood in the center covered in an assortment of various fruits and pastries.

Velanna did not meet the gaze of the god waiting for her, she was too distracted by the flood of emotions that came with standing in this room again. His room. Ever since Solas had disappeared she had gone to great lengths to avoid entering the space her lover had once dwelled. And now she was going to have breakfast here with his younger self.

Fen'Harel sat there watching curiously as the girl walked around the edge of the room, trailing her hand along its curved walls. It was impossible not to notice the expression on her face, so full of longing and sadness. The walls were blank, making the room seem emptier, he had yet to put into pictures her journey.

Countless hours were spent here watching him paint her story. She loved the focused look he'd get on his face, so entrenched in his work. And how that look would turn just a little wicked when she'd decide it was time for a distraction. He'd grab her by the waist and push her back against the wall in one fluid motion. Then would stare into her eyes with such intensity that her knees would go weak. Shaking his head he'd scold her, "tsk tsk, ma vhenan, don't you know that it isn't polite to interrupt someone while they are working?" Then he'd lean down until his lips just barely touched hers, whispering before finally kissing her, "whatever shall I do with you?"    

Velanna closed her eyes, steeling herself from the unwelcome emotions, as she prepared to face the wolf who'd been watching her this entire time. Walking over to the table and taking the empty seat in from of him she finally looked him in the eyes. "Ir abelas, I should not have slapped you yesterday...twice. You remind me of someone else and I must have mistaken you for him in a moment of confusion. A lingering effect of hitting my head, no doubt."

"Ah, I see," he said, hoping his surprise wasn't evident. "I trust you are feeling better?" This was not quite how he had expected things to go. He had anticipated her being far more prickly.  

"Yes, thank you." _That was certainly easier than I expected, saves me the trouble of trying to be charming at least._ Velanna filled her plate with a few pieces of fruit, at least one of which she was certain she'd never seen before, and the plainest pastry she could find. She smiled to herself briefly at the number of sweeter pastries on the table, apparently he had always had a sweet tooth.

Fen'Harel watched her examine one of the pieces of fruit on her plate as though it was a new and foreign food (which to her it was). "Perhaps you would be so kind as to answer a few questions," he said, finally breaking the silence.

Briefly looking up from her plate, she gave him a curt nod.

"Alright, who you are?"

"My name is Velanna," she replied, intentionally giving the briefest and least informative response possible. It was sure to rile him up and she just couldn't help herself.

He scowled, "That's it? Just Velanna. No titles?" " _Velanna, no I do believe I would have remembered sleeping with her, though I certainly wouldn't mind it,"_ he thought to himself.

"Velanna Lavellan." _The Herald of Andraste, Leader of the Inquisition, Ally of the Rebel Mages, Keeper of a dead clan...._ She swore she could hear him huff in frustration.

"Ok, Velanna..where are you from?"

"Nowhere...everywhere?," pausing briefly, "I'm a wanderer, a lone wolf you might say," she said with a wink. The response that that garnered threatened to put a crack in her already thinning veneer. _This is too easy._

"Fine...how did you get here and how did you manage to take a part of my magic?," Fen'Harel  gestured to the mark on her hand, clearly frustrated.

"Hmm," Velanna tilted her head slightly and tried to look contemplative, "I can't seem to remember what lead me here, another lingering effect of my head wound I suspect. As for the mark on my hand, I'm afraid I have no memory of acquiring it." She smiled at him as innocently as she could.

The Dread Wolf had caught on to what the girl was trying to do and was determined to gain control of this little game she was playing. He stood up and walked over to Velanna, his face painted with mock concern. Bending down to cup one of her cheeks in his hand, he said gently, "It seems I underestimated the extinct of your injury, _da'len_. I think it best that I keep you by my side..for observation." Fen'Harel could feel the faintest bit of heat on her cheek before removing his hand. With a wicked smile he took her by the hand to lead her to another room, "After all, head injuries are quite serious."


	5. Just Another Day at the Office

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a word of warning, I'm not super pleased with this chapter, it's pretty filler-y and has a lot of dialogue, but I was tired of tweaking it, so I apologize if it's meh. Also, I'm much more experienced with technical writing so this is a whole new world for me. As such, I welcome constructive criticism, feedback, and suggestions in general. And as always thank you for reading!

Velanna laid on a small sofa in what she knew to be the War Room, casting little balls of light into the air, reabsorbing them in her hands as they fell back down; her companions liked to tease the mage about her "light juggling" habit, which she'd always do when bored. Meanwhile Fen'Harel sat at a large desk surrounded by a pile of books, assiduously switching between flipping through the texts and scribbling on a sheet of parchment. She had already thoroughly looked around the room, trying to appear as curiously bored as possible, but the room wasn't large so that didn't last long.

_5,000 years into the past and I'm still spending half my day in this fucking room...of all the rooms in Skyhold we had to have breakfast in the rotunda and sit around for hours in the War Room. What did you think would happen Velanna? That you could give him no explanation for your presence and he'd let you have free reign throughout Skyhold?....idiot_

Turning her gaze to man still fully immersed in whatever he was doing she noticed he had the same focused look on his face that Solas made whenever she watched him paint. It was a dangerous look and Velanna couldn't keep herself from staring. _Creators, stop thinking about his mouth on your mouth_ , _or on your neck, or on your breast, and seriously stop thinking about straddling him in that nice leather chair he's sitting in..._

"Is it custom where you're from to stare at people?", Fen'Harel asked, interrupting her indecent thoughts.

"What?", she knew her face was turning horribly red, "Oh I'm sorry...I was just lost in thought, I didn't mean to stare."

"Mm-hmm." His corners of his lips curled up to form an amused smirk, which Velanna noticed because she had yet to stop staring.

Finally snapping out of her now awkward gaze she asked, "So, do you not live in Arlathan?"

"I do live in Arlathan."

"Why are you not in Arlathan then?"

"Because I am here," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Why are you here?" Q _uite the conversationalist a _ren't you_..._

"To get away."

_Too bad you don't know who the Dalish are yet, that always got you talking._ "From?", she asked before quickly adding, "and don't say Arlathan!"

Fen'Harel smiled and replied, "From people."

_Ugh, he's enjoying this isn't he.._ "Why?"

"Why are you here, Velanna?"

"I don't really know why I am here."

"Oh right, of course, because of that unfortunate head injury of yours, yes?" Velanna didn't have to see him to know he had a smug look on his face.

"Will you show me around?", figuring there was no harm in asking.

"Why?"

"Well if I'm going to be here for a while shouldn't I know where things are?", Velanna reasoned. It wasn't a very convincing justification and she knew it, thus his reply didn't come as a surprise.

"Where I go you go. There is no need to know where things are."

"Right." _Well it was worth a try._

They settled back into silence as he returned to his work and she to her boredom. Though it was certainly a nice change of pace from being the Inquisitor, Velanna had never been accustomed to not doing anything and was starting to get restless. And so she was very thankful when a serving girl entered the room with dinner which would give her something to do. _Is it that late already? When did I even get up? I mean I am hungry but it feels like it's only been a couple of hours since we had breakfast._

The girl set her tray on one of the side tables before carrying a bowl of stew and glass of wine to Fen'Harel, who gave her a gracious nod. It was only when the girl was bringing Velanna her dinner that she noticed the scar running down the child's forehead, over her cheek, and ending on her chin; she bore the vallaslin of June, the same one that Solas had removed from her face. Velanna looked up at the child with a heavy heart and thanked her, "ma serannas, da'len."  The earnest tone of her voice caught Fen'Harel's attention, as well as the sadness in Velanna's eyes as the girl bowed her head and scurried out.

"That is Danyla."

"She wears the mark of June," Velanna said she looked over to Fen'Harel.

"That she does."

"How'd she come to be here?"

"I bought her."

"Ugh, do I have to drag everything out of you?", she complained, which made him chuckle.

"She belonged to a priest of June's, one with a particularly bad reputation. I happened to be walking by when I heard him tell her she'd make a better sacrifice than a slave and the girl pleading with him and apologizing. So I approached him and said, with a wolfish grin," he demonstrated said grin before continuing, "that I had a particular need for a slave such as her and would be willing to buy her. Believing that I had nefarious intentions, he agreed."

"And then," Velanna asked eagerly. The Dread Wolf raised his eyebrow, unsure of what else she wanted him to say. "Well, you don't own slaves so what happened after you bought her."

"What makes you think I don't own slaves?", he asked curiously.

_Shite, was I not supposed to know that?_ "That's just what I've heard."

Fen'Harel hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I took the girl's hand and lead her back to my home as quickly as I could. She was understandably terrified, but I needed to be sure we were away from prying eyes. I apologized and assured her that I had no intentions of hurting her, but I needed to ensure my reputation remained intact. If people knew how I truly dealt with slaves they'd be far less willing to put them into my care. Then I informed her she was no longer a slave and she was free to choose what she wanted to do. If she wanted to stay and work as a servant then I would accommodate her, but if she would rather leave and be on her own I wouldn't stop her. She chose the former."

"That was very kind of you," Velanna smiled. He returned a small smile before turning back to his work without another word.

Wine had always made Velanna sleepy, and when paired with a hearty stew there was no point in even trying to fight the pull of fatigue. She was out the moment she laid her head back down on the sofa and remained that way by the time Fen'Harel finally finished working for the night. He walked over to where she rested and cleared his throat in an unsuccessful attempt to rouse her. A second, louder throat clear and a gentle nudging of her shoulder were equally ineffective. Her companions hadn't initially taken her seriously when she told them they'd need to yell in her ear or slap her if they wanted her to wake up; this would later turn into a game for Velanna's companions as they came up with more and more creative ways to get her up in the morning.

Fen'Harel stood staring at Velanna slumbering and for the first time truly noticed how beautiful she was. Her delicate features rested on a strong face with a squared jaw and high cheekbones creating a rather stunning contrast. She was much smaller than other elves, but not in a childlike way, the curves of her body indicating that she was very much a woman. Velanna was simply unlike anyone else he'd encountered before, which made her even more alluring. As such, he found himself not minding having to carry her back to her room, or that she wrapped her arms around his neck while he did so.


	6. What Are You?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Velanna gets trapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's gonna start a little drabble-y, but it's all a necessary set-up for future things. Thank you as always for ready and for your kudos. Comments, suggestions, insights, etc. are more than welcome. :)

"I apologize for falling asleep last night as I assume someone had to carry me to my room," Velanna calmly stated once she'd had a few bites of her breakfast.

Fen'Harel, unable to conceal his smirk, nodded "Yes, that someone being yours truly."

"Oh, thank you then, for that."

"Perhaps you would be willing to express your gratitude by answering something for me."

"I suppose I could try," she said hesitantly, "what is your question?"

"As I was carrying you to your bed you called me 'Solas' for what I believe to be the third time. So, do tell me who is this 'Solas'?" He took a moment to appreciate the sudden reddening of her cheeks in response to his question.

_An older, balder version of you._ "He is just someone that I used to know. The two of you look very similar," she answered impassively as possible.

"Am I correct in saying the two of your were close?"

"We were," Velanna scowled.

"You aren't any longer?"

"Nope."

"And why is that?"

"How is that any of your business?," she snapped, more than ready to be done with this line of inquiry.

With a smug smile he explained, "Well, I figure it is only fair to know what this man has done to warrant the two slaps I took on his behalf."   _Gotta give him credit for his sound reasoning at least.._

"You'll have to do more than just carry me to bed for an answer to that question," Velanna replied with her own smug smile that was quickly dropped as she realized how her reply would be interpreted.

"I'll certainly keep that in mind for next time," Fen'Harel leered.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Velanna was able to scour part of the library briefly while Fen'Harel was selecting more tomes to work with before they would return to his study. During her perusal she noticed, with admittedly some satisfaction, his eyes fixed on her form as she bent to pick up a book. "Now who's staring, hmm?," Velanna called out. To which she received a devilish smile in return, "just enjoying the view." _Solas..an ass man past and present it seems._

She had thought about bringing a book with her so she'd had something to do, but of course they were all written in ancient elven and all they'd provide was a headache. _Great, another day sitting around this gods forsaken room with nothing to do._ As such, it didn't take long for the boredom to get to Velanna, nor did it take long for Fen'Harel to notice her restlessness. "Something wrong?"

"I can't take being cooped up in here all day," she complained, "If I have to sit around, watching you read, can we at least do it outside, you know around nature?"

To her surprise, Fen'Harel stood up, tucking a book under his arm, and gestured for her to follow. They went through one of the many eluvians in the crossroads and stepped into what looked to be a small temple. Judging by the various statues of wolves, it was a temple dedicated to him. He continued on, leading them outside of the temple and to a small grassy clearing before casting a barrier around Velanna. This barrier was not like the ones used when in combat meant to protect, no, this particular barrier was meant to confine.

Velanna found that the boundaries of her invisible prison allowed just enough space for her to sit down cross-legged. It was like standing in a glass room, she couldn't feel the breeze or the grass between her toes, or smell the forest; all she could do was look at it.

The trickster god was reveling in his own cleverness as he heard her exasperated huff, "was this not what you wanted? We are outside after all."

She looked down at Fen'Harel, who was resting comfortably against a large tree with a book in hand, no efforts being made to hide his amusement, and groaned, "this is not what I meant."

He shot Velanna a sly smile before turning his gaze back to his book, "perhaps you should be more specific with what you request next time." Velanna would like to say that she didn't mock him in a childish voice, but she absolutely did and it only added to his amusement.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the small clearing and while it was not at all what she had in mind, Velanna was thankful for the change of scenery.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They had been eating dinner in relative silence, he seemingly lost in his own thoughts before he asked abruptly, "What are you?"

"Beg your pardon?" She wasn't entirely sure if he was actually asking her such an unusual question or if he'd simply been thinking out loud.

"I can sense your immortality and you lack any vallaslin, yet you speak like a slave. Not to mention you have a most peculiar accent," Fen'Harel stated, as though he were listing off clues to a riddle he was trying to solve (which he was), "I would guess that you were a priestess however your magic is too underdeveloped. You are much smaller than other females, though fully grown and your attire is most unusual. I could continue if you like but I think you get my point. So I ask again, what are you?"

_Can sense my immortality? I guess he can tell I'm from 5,000 years in the future, immortality makes more sense than time travel I suppose...my magic is underdeveloped my ass, I am an exceptional mage thank you very much!_

"I'm just an elf."

His storm cloud colored eyes scanned her face for several seconds as if frantically searching for some indication of her true nature before he said thoughtfully, "no, you're something more than that."

"A terribly charming and beautiful elf with a penchant for getting herself into trouble?," Velanna offered with a sheepish smile. The rest of their meal was spent with Fen'Harel staring at her as if she were the most unusual thing he'd ever seen and with Velanna desperately trying to figure out where else to look so she wouldn't be staring right back at him.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

In addition to how different she was, Fen'harel had noticed the way Velanna would carefully explore whichever room they were in as though she were searching for something. Tired of not having an answer to the questions of her presence and true identity or purpose, he decided he would need to take matters into his own hands. And so that evening the Dread Wolf devised a plan to catch her in a trap of sorts, one he was certain she wouldn't be able to resist.

The following afternoon when they were back in his study he pretended to fall asleep while reading, granting her the opportunity to explore "freely".   _He's asleep, thank the Creators, this is your chance Velanna, you've gotta find that orb and try to get back to your own time, just be quick._

_Where to look,  where to look, you won't be able to get into his quarters for sure and that would be too obvious a hiding place anyways...What about that little library room, Solas did always enjoy going down there to read and get away._

Velanna quietly walked up to Fen'Harel, waved her hand in front of his face and gently cleared her throat to make sure he was sleeping and not just resting his eyes. Once satisfied that he was indeed asleep, she quietly made her way out of the War Room, down the walkway where Josephine worked, and down the stairs in the hallway that she nearly always missed. Finally Velanna headed to the little nook that she knew to be a dusty old library, hoping it would house various treasures of sorts and her ticket home.

Fen'Harel patiently waited for enough time to elapse so that she'd almost certainly be in the act of snooping or searching or spying when he confronted her. It wasn't hard for him to track her scent to the little artifact room, he was a wolf after all. And there she was, little fingers scouring over each item on one of the shelves, so focused at the task at hand that she was completely oblivious to his presence. A strange combination of feelings stirred within him in that moment, self-satisfaction at the success of his plan and anger were to be expected. But there was another emotion lurking in the mix, something akin to disappointment. A small part of him had hoped to be wrong  about her, he realized.

The menacing snarl resounding behind her filled Velanna with an overwhelming sensation of dread so heavy it was suffocating. Her heart was beating so fast it hurt, every breath she drew seemed insufficient, and she was certain that any second she'd throw up. Slowly she turned around to face the Dread Wolf, appreciating in that instant just how appropriate the name truly was.


	7. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Velanna gives him the truth...mostly the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter and I could have continued on but I was too excited to post an update. So, here we are. However, in the future if you'd rather I wait and post longer chapters, you need only to say as much. Also, your kudos, bookmarks, and hits in general mean the world and has really boosted my confidence in attempting this fan-fiction business, so thank you! :)

In the mere seconds it took to turn around and meet his gaze, Fen'Harel had his hand around Velanna's slender throat, lifting her up so her toes just missed the ground. "You will either tell me the truth about who you are, why you are here, and how you have my magic right now or I fill your head with unfathomable horrors until there is nothing left inside of you but nightmares," he growled with a ferocity that could make the bravest of men cower.

When Velanna made no sound the Dread Wolf raised his voice, snapping her out of her petrified stare, and commanded her to speak. He had to strain to hear her as she barely managed to whisper, "can't breathe." The vice-like grip around her neck released and Velanna fell to her knees coughing and violently gasping for air before she could manage to start explaining.

"My name _is_ Velanna Lavellan and before I appeared in your armory the year was 8441 FA," Velanna chanced a peak at Fen'Harel's face to see his reaction to her words. Still visibly angry but to a lesser degree, he looked at her with skeptical interest, gesturing for her to continue impatiently. "The last thing I remember was using the magic of my mark on what I now know was _your_ orb or foci, whatever the fucking thing is, and then waking up in that little room."

Fen'Harel had begun pacing back and forth in the small nook as he absorbed his captive's admission. "And my magic, this 'mark' as you call it, how did you acquire it?," he asked with an edge of surliness.

She answered meekly, "I accidentally touched it while it was in use and three days later I woke up with the mark on my hand. I can't really tell you more than that without risking future events becoming messed up, just know I didn't want your magic, I didn't even know it was _yours_ to begin with."

"Is that how you came to possess my foci?"

"No, suffice it to say that Solas, er- you, lost it and were upset about our only lead on its location falling through. Then, well, you gave up and just disappeared, leaving me. But I continued to look and I found it." _Creators let that be believable._

"I am this Solas person?"

"Yes, in the future you go by that name, you never told me you were Fen'Harel," Velanna spat before she could bite back her bitterness over his deception.

"And you thought it was a good idea to use this _unwanted_ magic on the very object that gifted it to you?" The patronizing tone of his voice brought back memories of being scolded by Keeper Deshanna for doing something foolish, making her feel like a child. She would have given anything to be scolded once more by her Keeper if for no other reason than to hear the woman's voice again.

"Not when you put it like that! I wanted to know what was so gods-damned special about it and why losing it was worth you breaking my heart and vanishing without a word!" All the fear, heartache, grief, and anger were boiling over, threatening to break through the barrier of her willpower and dignity. She hadn't let him see her cry after he'd left her bare-faced in Crestwood or after when she still had to see him around Skyhold and she refused to let him see her break down now. Velanna took a long, deep breath to steady herself before speaking again, "Now that you have you answers, I would very much like to go to my room."

 Fen'Harel's anger subsided, leaving his mind clear enough to appreciate the aftermath of his temper. Bruises were settling on her neck, it was like looking at a shadow mimicking his violence, mocking him for his loss of control. "Yes, of course, I shall escort you," he spoke gently.

Jaw clenched and speaking through her teeth, she stated "I know where it is," before promptly storming away. As he stood there, stunned by her abrupt departure, he wondered what was worse, that she was now making a great effort to avoid looking at him or that when she did all he saw was fear and disgust clouding her beautiful fade-green eyes.


	8. Picking Up the Pieces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath of the confrontation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always for reading and for the kudos, I'm so glad you're enjoying this fic! Sorry this chapter took so long, I fear the next few may take some time as well. I have other parts of the story already laid out but there are some spaces in between that I need to come up with some ideas for.

_Of course he's following me, does he honestly think I'd try to make a run for it? Where the fuck would I go...just keep it together, just long enough to make it to your room...almost there._

Velanna quickened her pace to a near run as the door to her room came into view. She didn't dare look behind her to see how near he was, not that she'd really be able to tell even if she did look. Tears were forming in her eyes, ready and waiting for their chance to flow freely, blurring her vision in the process.

The moment she closed the door to her room, the floodgates opened. She curled up on the little bed, back facing the door, and sobbed, certain that Fen'Harel would barge in any moment and see her vulnerable and undone. But the moments continued to pass without interruption, much to her surprise. And so Velanna allowed all the feelings that had been buried to surface and cried herself to sleep.

She desperately needed to find a way back, she needed her best friend, needed a strong drink and a dragon to kill; though she was loath to admit it, what she really needed was Solas.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fen'Harel stood outside her door with every intention of opening it and asking her more questions after her abrupt departure. But as his hand touched the handle of the door, his mind registered the sounds of crying coming from within. With that, he retreated and headed to his own quarters.

_What were you thinking! Choking the girl when she's obviously too weak to pose a real threat...behaving no better than Elgar'nan! She was already caught in your trap, would have certainly confessed...cannot let the anger control you...need to apologize, find a way to fix this. Help find a way to send her back. Time magic is unfamiliar territory, will probably take a while to figure out a solution._

It was relatively early in the day, dinner still hours away, plenty of time to run an errand. If she was going to be here for a while, he figured she'd need things to wear. Given that his expertise lie in getting women out of clothes, not into them, Fen'Harel tracked down Danyla to accompany him.

"So, where are we going anyway?", the young girl asked as she followed him to the eluvian.

With a knowing smile he replied, "It appears as though our guest will be staying for a while longer and will need some things to wear. I thought you might be able to help me pick out some suitable attire."

Danyla grinned and looked up at him wide-eyed, buzzing with excitement. That was the reason Fen'Harel thought to bring her over any of the other female servants; he knew she'd enjoy it the most. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Velanna woke up to the dull throb of a post-crying headache, feeling completely drained. After refreshing her dimming mage-light, she walked over to the small desk tucked in the corner and grabbed the water canteen from one of the shelves. She had just taken a large mouthful of water when a loud knock on the door startled her, causing Velanna to simultaneously choke on the water and wince in pain from the sudden jerk of her tender neck.

Revasan was standing in the doorway, looking at her with concern, "I'm so sorry Lady Velanna, I did not mean to startle you. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," she croaked, suddenly aware of how uncomfortable speaking was at the moment.

"Fen'Harel requests your presence for dinner."

Velanna scowled, "tell his  _highness_  that I'm not hungry." After the man left, she couldn't help but feel a bit guilty as her comment, and the tone of voice she had when it was said, had clearly made poor Revasan nervous.  _I'll need to apologize to him tomorrow._  She crawled back into bed after finishing off the water and stripping down to her smallclothes, promptly falling asleep.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She had just finished getting dressed when the door to her room opened, the swear leaving her mouth before she stop it. "Kaffas!" Fen'Harel walked in carrying a small tray with breakfast and looked at her curiously for a moment before speaking. "I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday, my temper got the better of me. The wolf isn't always easy to control."

There was a look of sincerity and shame in his eyes as they focused on the bruising around her neck. Velanna's words came out almost like a whisper as talking was still uncomfortable, "I forgive you." Truthfully the ease with which she offered forgiveness surprised them both.

Fen'Harel turned to set the tray of food down on the desk and then walked up to her. "If I may?" he asked, gesturing to her neck. She gave a hesitant nod. As he brought his hands closer Velanna fought the urge to flinch but his touch was gentle. The sensation of feeling the softness of his skin again, combined with tingling healing magic sent a shiver down her spine. She didn't mind when his hands lingered there a moment longer than necessary, because in that moment he felt like Solas.

"I shall help you find a way back to your time any way I can," he said as he moved away from her, "but I will need to know all the details of what happened."

After Velanna fixed herself a plate of food she settled back on her bed, "alright, take a seat and I'll tell you all that I can." Once it was clear that Fen'Harel was comfortable she began, "I was standing in the armory with two of my companions, trying to..I dunno, activate it? So I tried to push the magic from my mark into it, which it seemed to respond to a little, but my magic clearly wasn't strong enough...And before you ask why I would do such a thing, a part of me hoped that maybe, somehow Sol- you would sense it and would come back.

Anyways, the next morning my companions told me they thought they figured out a better way to activate it. Their solution had been to set up a chunk of lyrium in front of the foci so that I could boost and focus my magic more. I guess they were right because I felt a tug and then there was bright light everywhere and then I woke up in this bed."

Fen'Harel sat quietly with his chin resting on one hand, seemingly digesting everything Velanna said. "You remember nothing else?"

"Nope. I mean I have some ideas about what might have happened but that's it."

"Hmm, well do tell me these ideas of yours."

"Ok, so the time I went a year into the future it-"

"Am I to understood that you've traveled through time before?" he interrupted.

"Yeah, strange, I know," Velanna sighed, "anyways, the time I went into the future it was the result of a spell gone awry. The person casting it had intended to remove me from time altogether, but he ended up creating a rift in the Fade instead...one that warped the fabric of time. We know that time behaves differently in the Fade, right? Well, the orb can open and close rifts, or at least I assume it can because my hand does. So, the orb must have opened a rift that altered time, pulling me through it. No idea why it would send me this far back though."

"Tell me, are all women in the future as fascinating as you are?" Fen'Harel said with an amused grin.

"Uhh, not really?"  _Is.. is he flirting with me?_

"I will need some time to think, in the meantime I can show you where the baths are where you will find some clean clothes, if you desire."

"Please." She desperately needed a change of clothes and after the past several days, certainly could use a relaxing bath.

Fen'Harel escorted Velanna to a separate room containing a large stone pool of steaming water and a patiently waiting Danyla. After informing her to come find him when she was finished he left, excited to start his research on the properties of time and the Fade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaffas - Tevene for 'shit'
> 
> Also, name translations/meanings:  
> Velanna - "She who rides the wheels of time"  
> Revasan - free arrow  
> Danyla - Little Nightingale
> 
> Double also, my main resource for elven comes from here: http://fenxshiral.tumblr.com/tagged/project+elvhen


	9. Come Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bath and an attempt to return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading and for the kudos and kind comments!

Velanna wasted no time shedding her clothes and stepping into the bath. The noise that came out of her mouth once she felt the heat of the refreshing water surrounding her bordered on obscene. Had her skin not already reddened from the heat of the bath, it surely would have from the embarrassment of moaning in front of the young girl. However, Danyla simply giggled sweetly. _Gods this feels more amazing than it should, surely it hasn't been_ that _long since I've had a proper bath._ Upon closer inspection she noticed an unnatural shimmer in the water. _Of course the water is enchanted...this is Elvhenan, where magic is a normal part of life._

Since the fight with Corypheus, Velanna had been so focused on repairing the orb that the baths she took were quick, efficient, and not at all relaxing. Soaking in the warmth of the water reminded her just how much she loved a nice bath. If muscles made sound they'd have let out a contented sigh as all the tension they had held onto released. Taking a deep breath, Velanna submerged her head under the water, wetting her hair. When she resurfaced she make a quick scan around the parameter of the bath, searching for something she could use to clean herself.

As if on cue, Danyla walked over and crouched by the edge, a tray in hand with several bottles of something, soaps, and a couple of stones. It was obvious what the soap and stones were for, but the bottles were a mystery. She grabbed one of the stones and a soap and began scrubbing the dirt from her skin, taking her time. After she was certain her body was thoroughly washed she placed the soap and stone back on the tray. "What's in the bottles?"

Without an ounce of judgment Danyla replied, "They are for washing your hair. The two containing the clearer substance are to clean the hair and the other two are for making hair soft and healthy. You only need to use one of each but I thought you might like to choose between two scents. One of them smells like spices, sandalwood and vanilla; the other smells like dawn lotus, oranges, and lavender."

Velanna nodded at the girl but made no move to take one of the bottles. Sensing her hesitation, Danyla popped the tops off of the two shampoos and angled them towards Velanna so she could smell them, noting that she favored the more floral scent. "Allow me," Danyla said as she poured some of the liquid into her hand. Velanna complied and moved in front of the girl, facing away from her. Soon deft hands were lathering her hair with the special soap and massaging her scalp, causing Velanna to let out a slightly less obscene moan.

_I should definitely feel guilty that I'm letting this poor child wash my hair, but Creators it feels wonderful...so relaxing, I could fall asleep to this for sure._

Once Danyla was finished she informed Velanna to duck her head under the water to rinse the soap out. She then repeated the process using the soap that was for softening hair. By the time she was done, Velanna stepped out of the bath feeling completely at ease and refreshed. While she dried herself off she noticed Danyla scurrying to the corner of the room to retrieve a few articles of clothing.

After Velanna put on the smalls and breast binding she pulled on the pair of breeches and robe she'd been handed. Both garments fit her horrendously, being too large or long in some places and simply cut oddly in others. She frowned at ill-fitted attire but resigned herself to make the best of it. _At least they're clean._

Suddenly, Danyla's little hands began to move around Velanna's waist and legs, magic stirring around them. She watched in awe as the clothing morphed, conforming to her body, breeches shrinking to fit her thin waist, legs shortening to accommodate her small stature. Danyla was thorough with her magical tailoring and only stopped once she was completely satisfied that the fit was perfect. She then led Velanna to a full-length mirror, "what do you think?"

She was wearing a simple pair of black breeches with a grey and white robe, both with gold accents. It certainly wasn't an elaborate outfit, but it was beautiful in its simplicity. And it did indeed fit her perfectly.

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Fen'Harel was in the library sitting in the nook Dorian would one day claim for himself when Velanna found him. Surrounding him were several open tomes, some resting on small stacks of books, others sat on bookshelves, a few were spread across his lap. Without lifting his head he smirked as Velanna reached the top of the stairs, "I'm pleased to see that you did not drown given how long you were in the bath."

With her face an embarrassing shade of red, Velanna chose to ignore his comment, "find anything useful in all these books?"

"Nothing, though I am hardly surprised. Until you I had never heard of anyone manipulating time," the Dread Wolf pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh. "You never said how you managed to return to the proper time when you went into the future."

"The mage who caused the rift had an amulet he used to cast the spell. We found that amulet in the future and used it to send us back. I don't really know how exactly it worked, Dorian was the one who cast the spell. He had once been the mage's apprentice and was familiar with the magic...so he took care of that."

After a few moments of silence, Velanna spoke again, "perhaps this is too obvious a solution but maybe if I tried to channel the mark's magic into the orb again it might work in the same way as the amulet and send me back?"

Fen'Harel considered her suggestion before agreeing, "come then, let's go to the armory."

When they entered the armory Velanna was taken aback to find the orb sitting among other weapons. " _This_ is where you store your orb?" _Fucking seriously? He just leaves it casually laying about?! No wonder Corypheus was able to take it._

"It's not as if anyone else would be able to use it. Now shall we try to return you to the proper time?"

Together they cleared off a table and moved it to approximately the same place it was when she was sent back. Velanna decided that she should try it without focusing her magic through a lyrium crystal first given how much stronger magic was in this time. With everything in place, she lifted her marked hand and looked over her shoulder to Fen'Harel, "please come back."

As the last word left her lips, Velanna let the magic flow from her hand into the orb. Just as before she felt a tugging at her magic as  bright light overwhelmed her vision and engulfed her, sucking the air out of her lungs in the process. "Please let him come back to me," she thought as her consciousness faded away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I enjoy drawing clothing and have subsequently drawn several various outfits for this story...because you know, why not? Here is a link for what Velanna's outfit looks like. http://i.imgur.com/CU3iCGK.jpg


	10. Man's Wickedness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this update took forever, I got slapped in the face with writer's block, but I was finally able to get something written. Fear not, I have no intentions of abandoning this fic though. Thank you for bearing with me!

Fen'Harel watched as his own magic encompassed the smaller elf's body, the brightness of it enough to make him look away. As the magic dissipated, he found himself reluctant to turn around to where Velanna had been standing. His hesitation to discover whether or not the attempt had been successful came as a surprise. Did some small part of him hope it hadn't worked?

Surely that couldn't be true, she had only been around for a couple of days and he barely knew anything about her. Part of the reason he'd come to Tarasyl'an Te'las in the first place was to get away from people, to find some solitude. Successfully sending her back to her own time should be a good thing then, but admittedly Fen'Harel found he did not mind her company. After all she was unlike the superficial women of Arlathan, women that threw themselves at the handsome god. It seemed Velanna cared little about his godhood, which was refreshing. And certainly there must be something about her if his future self cared for her.

_This is nonsense, just turn around already._

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"Velanna...Velanna, are you ok?"

She could just barely register that someone was speaking to her, the voice was a familiar one though she couldn't quite pinpoint to whom it belonged. Someone was gently shaking her, aggravating her already throbbing head in the process. Velanna attempted to open her eyes, to speak, to move, but found that she couldn't, so she let herself slip back into unconsciousness.

When Velanna's eyes finally fluttered open the first thing she noticed was the ceiling of her Inquisitor quarters. Sensing the presence of another person in her room, she went to sit upright only to be met with sharp pain pulsating in her skull and with a hiss she laid back down. His voice met her ears and her heart fluttered, hope trickling in that he had in fact come back.

"Solas?" Velanna whispered, carefully turning her head to see him. Her eyes met his and trailed down to his lips, the corners of which were pulled down into a slight frown. "It didn't work," she spoke, her voice laced with the sound of defeat.

"Ir abelas." Fen'Harel crouched by the bedside but avoided looking in her eyes. He was sorry, not because the attempt to send her home failed, but because he had wanted it to fail and had felt happy when he turned around to see her still there unconscious on the floor. "How do you feel?"

Velanna groaned, "like my skull is made of glass and is being repeatedly cracked by the hammering of my brain, threatening to shatter it completely."

Without another word Fen'Harel placed his hands on her temples, releasing soothing magic from his fingertips. Though it was entirely unnecessary, he gently massaged her scalp making his way down to her neck before moving away. "Feeling better I take it?," he asked upon hearing her contented sigh.

"Mmm, ma serannas," she smiled, snuggling in the warmth and comfort of soft furs and feather pillows. Fen'Harel watched with amused curiosity. "Your bed's more comfortable than mine."

Fen'Harel leaned in with a smirk on his face, "indeed it is and I would happily show you all the _comforts_ being in my bed can offer," chuckling as he watched her face flush. Hear breath caught in her throat and a rush of heat unfurled in her belly at the sound of his low and seductive voice. Velanna lifted her gaze to meet his, finding them glazed with desire, causing the beat of her heart to quicken.

_Get it together Velanna, at the very least make him work for it. One suggestive comment and you're drooling like a mabari..._

The sound of rushed footsteps coming up the stairs broke the mounting tension in the room. Danyla came into view panting as she tried to catch her breath and gestured for Fen'Harel to come to her. Velanna watched the expression of his face turn from contentment to concern and anger as the young girl whispered to him.

As the pair made to leave Fen'Harel turned to Velanna, "there are matters that require my attention and you should rest. Please feel free to continue using my bed." The seriousness of his tone made it clear that he was no longer being suggestive and Velanna was unsure whether or not she was grateful for the loss of his playful advances.

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"How far away are they?," he asked as they hastily made their way out of his quarters and towards the main hall.

"About two kilometers," Danyla replied. "They were headed North, probably towards the nearest public eluvian to get to Arlathan."

"Do you know how long they've been there?"

"I'm not sure, as soon as I saw the condition they were in I ran to find you. I couldn't see the horde nearby though so they've probably been out there at least a little while."

Once outside, Fen'Harel took on his wolf form and bent down allowing Danyla to climb on his back so she could direct him where to go. When he was certain that the girl had a firm grip on his thick fur, the massive wolf sped off and it wasn't long before they reached their destination outside of Tarasyl'an Te'las.

With a snarl, Fen'Harel changed back into his elvhen form, his face clearly expressing the anger and disgust he felt. In front of him lay four emaciated elves, their bodies colored by the dark shades of purple and red from fresh bruises. Each of them had wounds that had festered from lack of care and the unsanitary conditions they were forced into; the infection killing them in the end. Their lifeless forms, so battered and broken, were like canvases for man's wickedness to be displayed and it sickened him.

Two of the elves' bodies were still relatively warm to the touch, but the spark of life was gone nonetheless; they were too late. Rage was welling up within him at the thought that anyone could have such a lack of value for life that they'd toss aside their own kind like a piece of trash, leaving them to die. It would have taken little effort to heal the infected wounds, their deaths were unnecessary.

The beast within him was hungry for blood and the scent of slavers and their captives was still relatively fresh. They weren't too far out of reach; he could catch up to them, hunt them down, kill the slavers. But what of their cargo? There was no way Fen'Harel could take them all in even if he desired to and it was unlikely they'd all be able to survive on their own. In fact, what was more likely that they would just be recaptured again.

Fen'Harel turned to face Danyla, letting out a sigh of defeat, "Would you please give my apologies to Velanna and inform her that something came up that requires my attention and that I will return in a few days time."

Danyla gave him a small sympathetic smile and began her walk back to Tarasyl'an Te'las. Though the slavers could not be his prey this time, the Dread Wolf still needed to hunt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ir abelas - I'm sorry  
> ma serannas - Thank you


End file.
